Charleston Lake, Site 506
Charleston Lake Provincial Park was known to us already before we decided to explore its backcountry options. Unlike Canisbay Lake, from three years ago, we could reserve specific sites, and these sites had the usual photo illustrations in the reservation system. So we settled on a site not too far and passibly good looking.
Charleston Lake is huge, and, with our site on the west shore, we got the long view towards where the sun should rise (weather permitting), but also the brunt of the winds from three of four directions.
Weather or not
This trip would not have been a good introduction to canoe camping, or even camping. Not that we experienced any disasters, but the weather was cold and rainy. There’s no telling what the weather will be when you book far in advance, and now-a-days , if you wait for the sun to shine before committing to camping, you’ll be even more out of luck.
But camping is the experience of a lifetime, and over that stretch the amount of good weather we’ve enjoyed is phenomenal. So you learn to take the inclements in stride, take pride in the weathering, and to enjoy the natural beauty that blusters in with the wind and the rain.